Wheat, flour transport ban triggers price hike in Balochistan

QUETTA: Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) Chairman Badruddin Kakar has said the Punjab government’s restrictions on the movement of wheat and flour have caused the price of a 20kg flour bag in Balochistan to increase by Rs800, creating fears of a food shortage in the province.

He urged the federal government to immediately end Punjab’s inter-provincial ban in the national interest to ensure adequate flour supply across the country.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday alongside Abdul Waheed Bareech, Nasir Agha and others, Kakar said wheat is one of Pakistan’s essential food commodities, with Punjab being the country’s largest producer. This year, total wheat production in Pakistan reached around 28 million metric tons, of which 77% came from Punjab.

He pointed out that Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain had already stated that instead of relying on imports, domestic wheat cultivation should be promoted by supporting farmers and providing them with maximum facilities. He noted that Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are low-production provinces, while Sindh is relatively self-sufficient. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s annual wheat requirement is 5.4 million tons against a production of just 1.3-1.4 million tons, while Balochistan produces only 1 million tons against an annual need of 2 million tons. Both provinces, he said, rely heavily on supplies from Punjab. He added that in earlier meetings with the government, assurances had been given that wheat prices would not be fixed and that there would be no restrictions on inter-provincial movement. However, following recent rains and floods, the Punjab government in August 2025 imposed a ban and set up checkpoints at provincial borders. “These checkpoints have become hubs of bribery and extortion,” Kakar alleged, adding that despite restrictions, large numbers of vehicles are still transporting wheat and flour out of Punjab after paying hefty bribes. As a result, flour prices in Balochistan have surged abnormally.

The PFMA chairman demanded that Punjab immediately lift the restrictions on wheat and flour movement and remove checkpoints. He also called on the federal government to play its role in ensuring the ban is withdrawn.